


if I tried, if I wanted to

by Flavortext



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/F, Vexleth Week, post camapign
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:26:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22869328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flavortext/pseuds/Flavortext
Summary: There’s something final in Vex’s eyes as Keyleth watches her crest the path into the village.---Happy day 1 of Vexleth week! Idk if I will get to all the prompts but I wanted to at least do one for these gals!
Relationships: Keyleth/Vex'ahlia (Critical Role)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 96





	if I tried, if I wanted to

There’s something final in Vex’s eyes as Keyleth watches her crest the path into the village. 

Keyleth had gone to her, after Percy died, spent as much time as she could spare at her side until all the affairs were in order. After she returned they’d continued their letters, up until Vex wrote that she was taking a leave of absence. She’d asked, in her round-about sly way, if she could spend some time with Keyleth and the Ashari, maybe a year or so, a soft sad joke about her brother’s footsteps penned in slightly smeared inc. Keyleth had of course accepted and arranged her guest quarters as comfortable as she could. 

She’d refused Keyleth’s offer of tree-based travel and instead gone from Whitestone on foot, alone. That had caused Keyleth some major anxiety, and she’d had Scanlan trail her for part of the journey until he got caught and sent on his way. She’d waited anxiously at the edge of the village every day since.

“-leth!” Vex’s voice carries barely over the wind as she waves. Trinkets fur is windswept as he trudges along behind her, and Keyleth waves back, decorations on her staff jingling. Vex breaks into a faster pace and comes to a halt in front of her a moment later, out of breath but smiling, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. 

“I’m glad you made it!” Keyleth says, wrapping Vex in a hug. Vex laughs and pats her back. 

“Me, too, I’m freezing,” Vex says, leaning on Keyleth even after she pulls away from the hug. Keyleth interlocks their arms and gives Trinket a rub on the head as he lumbers up. The bear grunts, silver in his muzzle shining, and follows them as Keyleth leads Vex to her home, set just a little away from the rest towards the peak of the village. 

Inside the drone of wind dies down, replaced by a heavy sigh from Vex. Keyleth’s heart clenches at the weight behind it. Vex rolls her neck and bends to remove her boots. 

“I have tea! And some soup for dinner, if you’re hungry already.” Keyleth says, hurrying towards the kettle set aside by her fireplace. Vex smiles at her, placing her boots next to the door. She pats trinket on the shoulder and he settles down in the cramped space. 

“Tea sounds lovely,” Vex says tiredly. She walks towards Keyleth but stops halfway through the living area, looking around. Keyleth ignites her hand and gets the fire going, placing the kettle on its hook and setting out two cups of tea before she looks back over her shoulder. Thin lines of tears streak Vex’s cheeks, silently contrasting her pleasant smile. 

Keyleth stands slowly. 

“Vex...” Keyleth holds her hands out like she would approaching a scared animal. It’s the wrong action, apparently. 

“What!” Vex snaps, breaking out of her stillness to rub furiously at her eyes. Keyleth finches, but takes another step forward. 

“What’s wrong?” She asks, trying to level her voice. Vex looks at her, brown eyes watery still. Trinket grumbles from his spot by the door. 

“It’s nothing- just thinking you must not want me here, it’s too much like- like him.” Vex waves her hand towards the mantle above Keyleth, where a vase holds a cluster of smooth black feathers. Keyleth shakes her head. 

“Vex, that’s not true at all. I want you here. You’re not him, but you’re  _ you. _ ” Keyleth takes the last stride across the room, capturing Vex’s hands in hers. Vex stares at them, mouth now set in a frown, but she unwinds her fists and lays her palms flat against Keyleth’s. “You’re cold.” Keyleth remarks, thumb tracing the callouses on Vex’s fingers, the scars along her hands. Vex chuckles sourly. 

“You live on top of a mountain, it was a long walk.”

“You didn’t have to  _ walk _ ,” Keyleth responds, frustrated. She drags Vex a little closer to the fire. 

“It was nice, up until the last part. Well, that and Scanlan being a bastard.” Vex lets herself be moved, shoulders falling slack as the fire warms her. 

“Sorry about that, we were worried,” Keyleth says. Vex shrugs, walls visibly going up. The kettle whistles. 

Vex is quiet while Keyleth pours them tea, seated on a cushion on the floor. Her hands wrap around the cup and she smiles thankfully. 

“Kiki, you know I love you, right?” Vex says softly after a few sips. Keyleth smiles, the words like a knife in her heart. 

“Of course, Vex.” She says lightly. Vex sets aside her tea. Her hands are warm on Keyleth’s. 

“Can we go up to the tree?” She asks. Keyleth nods, squeezing their fingers together. She stands a little shakily and helps Vex up, and they walk back outside into the wind. Trinket lumbers behind them as they walk hand in hand up the hill, past the low houses, and to the base of the great tree. Vex breaks away from Keyleth and takes a few paces forward, setting a hand on the bark for a second before turning to the shrine. Keyleth stands a few paces back, scratching at Trinket’s head as he lumbers up next to her. He grumbles and nuzzles back against her hand. 

Eventually, Vex lifts her head, eyes watery but finally seeming to show her genuine smile. She smooths out her pants as she rises, walking back to Keyleth and holding out a hand. 

“It’s just about time for dinner, don’t you think?” She asks, voice sounding like it has been relieved of serious weight. Keyleth breathes a little easier, slotting her fingers between Vex’s and leading the way back to her hut. 

“Do you talk to Vax’s shrine, ever?” Vex asks as the door shuts behind them, taking the sound of wind away with it as the latch clicks. Keyleth shakes her head. 

“I talk to the ravens. I don’t know if he sends them, or if she does, or if it’s just fate being cruel to me, but they come and I... tell them things.” She says slowly. She glances almost reflexively at the currently shut window in her bedroom. It’s often the first thing she sees in the morning, a large black bird perched and waiting. Now, there’s nothing but a view of the surrounding mountains lit by the sunset. Keyleth looks back to Vex. 

“That’s sweet of you. I don’t know if he ever... if he hears me. But up there,” Vex gestures behind herself. “It felt like  _ someone _ was listening.” She slips out of her boots again and crosses the room to warm herself by the still-burning fire. 

“What did you say?” Keyleth asks slowly. Vex considers her for a moment. 

“I asked permission for something.” She says slowly. Keyleth looks at her curiously. 

“What?” she asks. 

Vex sighs, crossing back to Keyelth in the doorway and taking her hands. 

“I asked him if he would be okay if I stayed. I’m...” Vex sighs, thumbs running over Keyleth’s knuckles. “I’m lonely, my children are grown, they run Whitestone without me just fine. Even-” Vex smiles sourly. “Even the hunt is due for another champion. There’s nothing left for me there.” Vex sighs, reaches a hand up to rest on Keyleth’s cheek. 

“Of course you can stay, Vex,” Keyleth says automatically. She’d kind of expected it, the letters they’d exchanged had hinted at it. But her stomach is twisting itself in knots anyways. She asks the obvious. “Why here, though?” 

Vex’s face softens even more. 

“You’re here, darling.” She says warmly. Keyleth nods, Vex so close to her now that her nose brushes her forehead as it dips down. Vex smiles at her. 

“I- I am. I’d be very happy if you stayed.” Keyleth says back. Vex caresses her cheek, fingers tracing the outline of her pointed ear and sending a shiver down her spine. 

“I do mean it, Keyleth. I  _ love _ you.” Vex says softly, resting her head on Keyleth’s chest. Keyleth sucks in a breath. 

“I know.” She stammers. It’s not a surprise, but it does leave her at a loss for words. Finally, as she feels the tension in Vex’s shoulders start to wind tighter, the anticipation of a rejection building in her lithe frame, Keyleth forces herself to speak again. 

“Vex, I love you too. So much.” She says, pouring every bit of honest inflection she can into the words. Vex tilts her head upwards, smiling. 

“Scanlan’s going to tease you for having a type, you know.” She quips. Keyleth swallows back a laugh. 

“I can’t defend myself from that, I guess.” She says. Vex tilts her head back up, looking at her with gentle brown eyes. Keyleth opens her mouth to say something else, but decides against it in a split second, catching Vex’s chin between her fingers and closing the distance in a soft kiss, the first of many, many more. 

**Author's Note:**

> check out https://vexlethweek.tumblr.com/ for all the content for this week!!   
> Kudos and Comments much appreciated <3!  
> find me on tumblr @transfjord !


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